Afterwards
by noneyobusiness
Summary: Horace Slughorn met Minerva McGonagall when she was a student. Set after Deathly Hallows.


Afterwards: The Past Events in the lives of Horace Slughorn and Minerva McGonagall

(Two days ago)

"Horace! Horace! Wait…" Minerva had stopped him in her night gown before he went through the passageway to Hogsmeade. "Where are you going…?" she asked him quietly. "I'm going to Aberforth…that way we can recruit some men for the battle that is, obviously, at hand, Minerva." "Shouldn't you take Filius with you?" "No, I have to do this alone, Minerva." She stared into his eyes. "Oh, do be careful, Horace…I.." "What?" he looked at her. "I..I..I don't know what I'd do if I lost you….I mean, what we'd do…" she blushed in the moonlight. He chuckled and patted her shoulder. "Don't worry about me, Minerva. I'll be fine. Give Filius and Poppy my luck, alright?" "Yes, Horace." she took his hand from her shoulder and squeezed it. "Be careful, love, be careful….." she whispered. He nodded and pulled his brown hat over his face, then disappeared into the passageway. She ignited her wand and reluctantly shuffled from the spot, hoping the Carrows were not around the corner, waiting for her.

(One Day Ago)

They had a reunion the next evening. There was a knock on her chamber door. She opened it and cried out. "Horace! Horace…Are you alright?" he was slightly worn. "Don't worry about me, are you alright?" he saw the gash on the side of her face. "Who did this to you, Minerva?" he put a hand on the side of her face, which made her blush fiercely. "How did it go, Horace?" " Oh, Aberforth…He will assist us at our time of need. Now…about that Gash…Who did this?" "I don't want to talk about it…" he pulled her in front of him and put both of his hands on the sides of her face. "Who did this to you?" Her heart beating in his hazel-eyed gaze, she told him. "The Carrows did, Horace." he swore at the ceiling. "And the students? How are the Gryffindors? The rest of the houses?" "They're fine, don't worry…" He drew his wand and brought it to the gash in the side of her face. He muttered something and the gash disappeared. "There you go, good as new." When he disappeared around the corner, McGonagall sighed dreamily. She shook her head and was brought back to the real world.

(Present)

And now, into present times, this flashed before Horace's mind as he and Minerva took the dark lord on, parrying and attacking as one. He flourished his wand at the fire on the torch, which was attached to the wall. He moved his wand in a circular motion, and the fire engulfed Voldemort. He grunted with effort as he held his hand beside his wand, keeping the fire in a circular shape. Colin Creevey ran up to help, but he pushed the boy backwards with a charm. "No, Colin!" he made it his job to protect the students from this…this evil he now fought before him. With this slack off, Voldemort was able to escape the fire and they were blasted backwards and landed against the back wall. He shook his head from the terrible pain. He looked beside him to see Minerva laying against the wall, blood gushing from her leg. He threw a hand over her heart and was relived greatly when he heard it beating. Blinking from the blinding pain in his left leg, he grabbed wildly around for his wand. When Horace found it, he inched to Minerva's side and traced his wand over the wound, muttering an incantation. The wound stopped bleeding, and he took her into his arms and sat against the wall, grunting as the pain in his leg worsened. "Must be broken.." he said, looking at it. He watched Molly and Belatrix duel, the floor cracking around their feet. "C'mon Molly, C'mon…" he saw Molly's curse land above Belatrix's heart. "Good job.." the dark witch fell to the ground, dead. "Did you hear that, Minerva? Belatrix's dead…" he said, and she stirred. He shook his head as tears fell from his eyes. Tonks, Remus….What would poor Teddy do? So many others had fallen in this monster's wake. He was full of hatred as he blacked out just as Harry came into view. "Harry…?"

He had awoken in the hospital wing, Minerva was in the other bed beside him. He looked at his leg, which was in a cast. Madame Pomfrey hurried over when she saw him awaken. "Poppy? How's she doing? How am I doing? What happened? Is he gone?" "Well, you have one broken rib and a broken left leg. Minerva had a concussion, but she also had a healed gash. Who did that to her?" "Blood was gushing from it when we hit the wall, so I closed it up with a healing charm.." "That explains it." "The Dark Lord?" "Harry killed him. Killed him by bouncing his killing curse back at him with a expulsion charm." "What?! The boy's a genius, I tell you! He'll rule us all one day." She saw him stare, concerned, at McGonagall. "You can sit beside her if you want, Horace." he nodded and grunted in pain, but got up and sat in the chair beside her bed. She awoke soon after to see him looking at her, concerned. "Horace?" she sat up. "He's gone, Minerva! Harry killed him by bouncing his killing curse back at him with…get ready for this, an expulsion charm..!" he whispered excitedly. "What about the school? In what condition is it?" "I'm sorry to say, but some walls have been completely blown out, and the great hall is pretty muffed up." "Have they announced who will be the Headmaster or Mistress?" "They want me, Minerva." "But who will be the assistant…?" Horace looked out the window. "I want to guide Slytherin to a different path, a path where they are not condemned to the road of hatred and swindle. The 'beaten path' so they call it. Continue helping me rebuild this school, Minerva." "Horace, I-" "Shhh…I want you to do it. I've watched so many great minds fall to the darkness that Slytherin is today, but tomorrow, can't he be known as: Slytherin the Brave? I don't see why not. And Minerva…I'm just asking you to do this out of want to see the castle rebuilt, the House of Slytherin rebuilt. "Horace…" To Minerva, this was all too much. "Yes, Horace! I'll take it." all of the sudden, the pain in his leg and chest disappeared and he felt the same as he did that day when they were both twenty. "Remember what Filch did? Ahahaha!" laughed Slughorn. "Oh, yes, yes…" "When we where evacuating…"

Slughorn and McGonagall began casting charms around at the suits of armor. Filch came hobbling into view. "For God's sake, Minerva, here comes Filch…" "Students out of bed! Students out of bed!" Slughorn put a hand over his eyes. "-_Cave Incantium-_Oh my God…They're supposed to be, you blithering idiot! Now go do something constructive! Find Peeves!" Slughorn and McGonagall cast their Patronuses into the hallway. "P-Peeves?" Filch asked Slughorn. "Yes, Peeves! Haven't you been complaining about him for the last fifty years?! Now go, idiot, go!" he slapped his back and pushed him into the opposite directions he was facing. McGonagall was laughing as they cast the charms and Enchantments over the building.

"What a fool!" they both laughed.

Soon after they both recovered and became Headmaster and Headmistress. Horace took the post of Teaching both Defense against the Dark Arts and Potions, while Minerva kept her job of teaching Transfiguration. Together they rebuilt the beautiful school they both called home year round, all the while falling more and more madly in love with each other. The days past and soon the winter came. It was the first Merry Christmas in a long time, as Harry and his friends celebrated their seventh and final Year at Hogwarts. Believe me, it was a very big celebration. Horace watched as Minerva headed out the door from the great hall to go to bed. He got up and followed her. "Minerva!" he quietly called into the warmly lit, holly and Christmas-tree filled hallways. He caught up with her in the welcoming hall. "What is it, Horace?" she turned around. "I…" His eyes wondered upwards to see Peeves dangling Mistletoe over their heads. "Damn it, Peeves…" he muttered., then turned on his heel and ran.

(Last Night)

"Horace! You and I will lead a group through the castle!" He got up and cricked his fingers, did leg stretches, stretched his arms, and drew his wand, igniting it, and nodded, ready to go. "Wow, the only Slytherin here, Horace!" Arthur slapped him on the back. "Yes, Well, I'm the only sane Slytherin you'll ever see. I'm not the dark, evil part of the description, I'm only the cunning part!" he laughed, but then it died down. "Well Kingesly, Arthur, good luck to you both." he nodded to them. "Lumos Maxima!" he sent a Ball of light over a spot in the dark great hall. "If you are coming with me and Professor McGonagall, gather here!" he put his wand to his throat, magnifying his voice, which rang out clear in the hall. Ten of the Gryffindors and three Ravenclaws gathered under the light. "Good, now come, Minerva." he gestured with his head, and she nodded. Together with Kingsley they fought and held their own against the dark lord.

God……Had he really meant it? Should he have left her there? Did he still feel for her? Did they have a chance? All of these questions ran through his mind as he ran to who knows where. "Horace! Horace! Wait!" called Minerva. He had a flashback…..

"Professor Slughorn! Professor Slughorn! Wait! I have a question!" He shook the snow out of his hair and hung his scarf on the hook in his office, shuffling the snow off of his shoes and hanging his heavy coat on the hook. With a shivering and quavering voice from the cold, he said, "Ah! If it isn't the Queen of Transfiguration herself! To what do I owe this pleasure?" "I have a question." "Ask away, girl, ask away." "What exactly does Gwadlop's third law mean?" "Well…you see…I'm a pretty new teacher, I don't really follow it myself, you see. All I understand is actually brewing the potions correctly and about antidotes, I'm afraid you'll have to resort to the library on that one, dear." He said, lighting the fire and putting out the match. "So you don't know?" "I have a basic understandment, but could I tell you exactly what it meant? No, not this instant. I'm sure if I studied it, I could." He laughed. "Not much of a teacher, eh?" He patted her shoulder as he walked by on his way back to his Chamber to sleep. "Look Sharp, Minerva, don't want to get caught out of bed late, now!" he said, yawning and turning off the lanterns. "Oh, I forgot. You're a Gryffindor! Filch'll have a field day with trying to get you in trouble. Come along, I'll take you up so you don't get the first detention in your life, I suppose. _Lumos!_" He walked out of the office and stopped, looking from the right to left. "Remind me which way to go, if you'd please, Minerva." she pointed to the right. "Ah! Now I know. Thank you." He started off, holding his lit wand aloft. "You can use your wand, you know." he said, looking behind him. "Oh! Right." She too ignited her wand and held it up. "Greetings, Fat Lady. I believe…….uh…Blithering Bart, is it?" "Correct." She swung open and he waved his hand for her to step through. "Good Evening." he said, humming as he walked away. Minerva blushed a deep, deep, scarlet, midnight, red, then started humming herself, falling down beside the fire and sighing deeply.

(A month later.)

(They had gone to Bermuda to a Teacher/Student conference along with others. It was now over, and they went back to the Room.)

Minerva's hands were sweaty. "What's the matter?" he laughed, undoing his bow tie. "You look like you've seen the Bloody Baron." he opened the doors to the bedroom and strode in. She sat down on the couch, her voice quavering with nervousness. "He wouldn't try that!" she thought. "You're a student, he's a teacher." she assured herself. He soon came back out and looked out the window. "Bermuda is about the only place you can go to a beach with pink sand. I wonder why it's snowing…. None the less. Beautiful country, isn't it? A bit like yourself, I may add." she turned pink behind his back and stood up. "What's the matter, you look pale." he said, coming behind her. Her heart was pounding in her chest. She whipped around, and was surprised when her face came close to his, only an inch apart. "What is it, tell me." he said. She turned back around. "I'm not really sure, Professor." she said quietly. "It doesn't have anything to do with me, now, does it?" he chuckled. "Um…No…I mean Yes, I mean-" he quieted her and smiled, pressing a passionate kiss to her lips. Minerva almost fainted. He turned away, suddenly ashamed. "I-I'm sorry, Minerva." he strode out the door, pulling on his coat. "Wait, Professor!"

Horace kept striding, the snow stinging his face. "Professor! Please!" she called. "Will you tell me what I did wrong?!" she cried into the wind. He stopped, back turned to her. She came behind him. "I deserve to know!" He whipped around. "What did I do, Professor, Please!" He looked at the ground, the dark and snow swirling around him. A tear fell down her cheek. "Professor!" she sobbed. He didn't say a word. "Horace!" she finally cried, clinging to his coat. The use of his first name had no effect. "Please…" she said. He exploded. "Alright, Little Miss, I'll tell you what you did wrong! You made me feel! You softened my heart and made me vulnerable to the stinging pains of love! I'm too old for you, I'm a Professor and you're a student!" "So what! I'm eighteen and you're twenty!" she cried into the wind, tears whipped away by it as they steadily fell. "I can't, Minerva." he said quietly. "I can't do this." he whispered, looking at the ground again. "Who says you can't?! Who, Horace, Who?!" she cried. "Please, Horace…" she said softly. She kissed his cheek twice, the snow swirling around them and the soft, warm light spilling out of the many windows. She put her hand on the side of his face and looked up at him. "Don't hide, love." The touch of her cool hand severed what little reason he had left in him. With that he pulled her arms to him and kissed her, putting both of his hands on either side of her soft face. At his touch, she relaxed against him and unbuttoned the top two buttons on his flannel shirt. He savagely swept her into his arms, carrying her through the deep snow and almost breaking down the door to the room in the process.

Minerva had awoken in the middle of the night in the dark, romantic, torch-lit wizarding bedroom in the canopy bed. He had his arm wrapped around her and she had one of her hands on his chest. She searched for her left hand, than found it. It was twined with his hand in-between the two lovers. When she had stirred, he woke up. "Good evening, my dear." he stroked the side of her face and nuzzled her neck. He pulled her close to his chest and kissed her, slowly, seductively. She closed her eyes, shuddered, and her heart rate increased as he kissed the sensitive spot right above her left shoulder. Minerva reached up and wrapped her arms around his neck, admiring his thick brown hair and broad features as he kissed her.

She looked so peaceful, lying there. Horace stroked the side of her face and brought her close than kissed her slowly. Perhaps it was then that he knew he loved her. She shivered with excitement as he kissed her….and she lost herself once again.

(Present.)

"Horace! Will you stop and let me talk!" cried Minerva, now a Professor and standing in front Slughorn, who was kneeling in the snow. "No." "Just let me!" "No." "Horace, I love you!" Silence. "What? It doesn't matter at all?!" she said, tears streaming from her eyes. "It doesn't matter?! Do you even love me?" she said, choked up. Tears also fell from his eyes. "I don't want to be hurt again…" he quietly said. "I can't live without you here! I just can't!" she fell to her knees beside him. "I love you," she whispered again quietly. "No, you don't." "Yes I do, Horace, I do!" "I am old and weak, while you still have a chance…" "I'm almost the same age as you!" she yelled. "Well God Damn It, how'd you figure that one out?!" he said, standing up and striding away. "Horace, Come back! Come back!" She ran after him. He turned around and looked over her head at nothing, the snow once again swirling around them as she pounded at his chest. "I love you! You're not going to deny that from me!" she childishly said. "No, Minerva, you don't love me." he said calmly. "Look! Look at this!" she pointed her wand and erupted from it a silvery animal. "A Greyhound?" his eyes sparkled with tears. His patronus was also this. She dropped once again onto her knees, crying into his pant leg. "Minerva, don't…" his heart was broken at the sight as she sobbed into his leg. "Minerva, I…" she continued to sob. He gently kneeled next to her and took her into his arms. "I do, Horace…" she cried, sobbing into his shoulder as he stroked her hair. "I'm here, Minerva." he whispered. "I'll never leave you." She sobbed harder. "I…" he whispered. He kissed her gently. "I love you." Her crying slowly came to a stop and she looked up at him. "I love you." he repeated, his voice quavering.

And so Horace Slughorn realized that the true key to his lifetime happiness had always been in front of him, and embraced it.

Farewell, and THE END.


End file.
